Traffic signal light



Sept. 6, 1955 R. H. CARP ENTER ET AL 2,717,376

TRAFFIC SIGNAL. LIGHT Filed Dec. 8, 1952 INVENTOR. STEVE MH4LLAD/IVO AND BY RALPH H. CARPENTER ATTORNEY United States Patent O TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHT Ralph H. Carpenter, Mitchell, Ind.,.and Steve V. Palladino, Bradenton, Fla.

Application December 8, 1952, Serial No. 324,704

1 Claim. (Cl. 340-382) This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in a signal light, but more particularly and-specifically An object ofthe invention is the provision in a tratfic I type electric signal of a novel, simple, eflicientand extremely cheap method of securing the signal lights in the signal light housing and at the same time make it simple and easy to attach a light to thehousing or detach it for replacement.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a traflic signal light having a sheet metal housing for the lights which reduces the cost of production and to utilize with the housing a unitary-type of light which is hermetically sealed, thusmaking it unnecessary to make the housing water or-weather tight, thus further reducing the cost of production as compared with signal lights as now commonlymade and in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a traffic signal light which is smaller and much lighter than those commonly known and in use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a traflic signal light embodying a plurality of separate and distinct lights carried by a housing and to provide sunshades for the lights which are detachable and replaceable in a novel manner to make it possible to selectively position the housing so that the lights are dis-v posed in a vertical line or a horizontal line, as may be deemed desirable.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel combined clamp and sunshade which is detachably secured to the housing and which secures the signal lights in the housing.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a traffic signal light embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view showing the upper end of the signal light of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front plan view of the signal box, the lights and the clamping plates therefor being removable.

Figure 4 is a top view of a slightly modified form of housing.

Figure 5 is a front view illustrating the traffic light disposed in a horizontal plane.

Having reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and 5 of the drawings, the sheet metal signal light housing is designated as an entirety by A and comprises a front wall or face 1 and a continuous curved plate 2 forming the sides and back of the housing. The ends of the housing are closed by a top plate 3 and a similar plate at the 1 91- tom of the housing, which is not shown.

that when the plate is secured in place the ears lie fiat 2,717,376 Patented Sept. 6, 1955 In traffic signals it conventional to provide a red andan amber, and a green light. The red. and green lights can be optionally positioned on either side ofthe center light, which is conventionally the. amber light.

In the present arrangement each light, designated as an entirety by'B, is an entity and descriptionof-one will serve as a description of the others, with the exception that the lights will, as described, be red, green and amber. The lights are what are known as seal beam lights; Broadly these lights comprise a conventional. domeshaped casing .4 the front ends of which are closed by a lens 5. Interiorly the lights are provided with a suitable reflector and a filament, by which is meant. a filament type electric. light bulb. The lights are a unitary-structure and. the casing is hermetically sealed so that} his weather proof. These lights conventionally at their front ends are provided with a circumferential.outwardly extending flange 6 of greater diameterv than .theouter or front end 7 of the casing which constitutes the greatest diameter of .the casing.

The housing front plate or face 1. is provided with three aligned openings 8, 9 and it each ofwhich is. of the same diameter, and this diameter is sufliciently' great to permit the passage of the light casing 4 into the housing but to prevent the passage of the light casing. flange 6. Consequently when a light is placed in the-housing in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2,.'the light casing is disposed interiorly of the housing and the .rear'face 6 ofthe light casing flange abuts the housing. front wall or face 1.

There is associatedwith each light a detachable. combined light clamping and holding plate and sunshade. These plates C, D and Bare of identical sizeandconfiguration and description-of one will serve to describe the others;

A plate is preferably made of sheet metal and is exactly square and provided centrally with a circular cutout portion to provide a circular hole or passageway 11, which is of lesser diameter than the diameter of a light casing flange 6 but sufficiently large to permit the outward passage of the bulged or arcuate shaped light lens 5. The plate at each of its corners is bent downwardly as at 12 to provide at each corner an offset ear 13 each of which is provided with a hole for the passage of a screw 14 or the like. The front face of the housing adjacent each of the passageways 8, 9 and 10 is provided with four threaded openings 15, 16, 17 and 18 for the reception of the screws to provide quick detachable connection of the plates. The offset of the ears of the plate is equal to the thickness of the light casing flange 6 so against the front face of the housing while the major portion of the plate lies flat against and firmly abuts the outer face of the light casing flange 6, as will be clearly apparent in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Each light clamping plate is provided with a sun visor, these being F, G and H. These visors are suitably permanently secured to the plate.

In Figs. 1 to 3 the lights are disposed in vertical alignment. In Fig. 5 the lights are disposed in horizontal alignment. In this instance the light housing is disposed in a horizontal plane. In all other respects the arrangement is the same as previously described, with the exception that the light clamping plates C, D and E have been removed and rotated one quarter turn and then re-secured to the housing. Due to the fact that the plates are square this rotation of them is possible, as is also the use of the same threaded screw reception holes 15 to 18 inclusive in the hoosing front Wall. By this manipulation of the clamping plates the sun visors are properly positioned above the lights so that they will function correctly.

Fig. 4 illustrates a light housing K of slightly different configuration than that illustrated in the other figures of the drawings. In this instance the housing has curved side walls 19 and 2t) and a flat back 21. In all other respects the housing is identical to that previously described. It is thought that a flat back could to some degree simplify securement of the housing to its supporting element Whatever it might be.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a novel and extremely simple and therefore cheap to manufacture form of traflic signal light is provided. The light producing elements themselves are securely held in the housing by an extremely simple means which permits removal and replacement of lights with a minimum of effort and time. This is a feature totally lacking in signal lights heretofore made and used.

It will also be seen that the novel combined light clamping plates and sunshades make it possible to utilize the same plates and shades with a housing disposition which positions the lights in either vertical or horizontal alignment.

The unitary lights used are already in proper focus, which eliminates the necessity of individually focusing lights, as is common to tralfic lights as now known. In the present arrangement it is necessary only to properly position the signal light housing to simultaneously properly focus all of the three lights therein.

Departures from the specific construction illustrated and described can be made without departing from the inventive concept, and the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter following claim.

What we claim is:

A traflic signal light comprising a housing having a front wall which throughout its entire area is flat and is provided with a circular opening therein, a light associated with the housing opening and comprising a casing having a front end of circular shape in cross sectional configuration, the light being a hermetically sealed unitary structure comprising at the front end of a casing a lens and interiorly of the casing a filament and a reflector, the light casing adjacent the front end thereof provided with a circumferential outwardly extending flat flange giving to that portion of the casing a diameter greater than the diameter of the circular opening in the housing front wall, the light casing extending through the housing front wall opening and having its flange in abutment with the front wall of the housing, a flat comparatively thin plate associated with the light casing and having therein a circular opening of lesser diameter than the diameter of the light casing flange and through which the light lens extends outwardly, the plate abutting the outer face of the light casing flange and having at each of its corners an oifset ear, said ears being offset in respect to the rest of the plate a distance equal to the thickness of the light casing flange, said ears being flat and abutting the front flat wall of the housing, a sun visor immovably secured to the plate and extending around approximately one-third of the perimeter of the plate opening and extending outwardly in respect thereto, the plate being square, means passing through the plate ears for detachably securing the plate to the housing and clamping the flange of the light casing against the housing front wall to immovably secure the light casing in place, and the plate being selectively positionable of the housing to selectively position the sun visor at different quadrants of the circular opening in the housing front wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,711,480 Halvorson Apr. 30, 1929 1,836,845 Halvorson Dec. 15, 1931 2,096,952 Baker Oct. 26, 1937 2,330,193 Blau Sept. 28, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 283,029 Great Britain Jan. 5, 1928 

